Book: The Hungry Tide

Author: Amitav Ghosh

Publication: Penguin Viking

Price: Rs. 499

Pages: 430

Plot: Piyali Roy is a young cetologist, a biologist who specializes in marine mammals. Piyali is born to Indian parents but has brought up in America. Piyali is headed towards Sunderbans for a project. For this project, she wanted to conduct a survey on Gangetic and Irrawaddy river dolphins. On her way to Sunderbans, she met Kanai Dutt, a wealthy translator from Delhi. Kanai invites her to the place where his aunt lives, to Lusibari. Though Piyali did not have any plans, but fate took her to Lusibari. Where she met a fisherman Fokir who she finds out is very efficient and can help her a lot in her survey. But the only problem with him is they both cannot understand each other’s language.

To this Kanai came as a rescue, he offers his help and from their starts the journey of Piyali’s project which will prove out to be a life-changing project for her.

But saying that The Hungry Tide is the story of Piyali, Kanai and Fokir will be totally wrong. Because this Amitav Ghosh’s book is the story of Sunderbans. The place where there are no boundaries between land and the water, where survival is an everyday battle. Where settlers believe that anyone without a pure heart who ventures into the watery labyrinth will never return. Where the tides are so hungry that they are willing to take away lives.

My Views: This is one of the most brilliant books I have read until now. No doubt, Amitav Ghosh is a genius, his imagination and words will take you to a fascinating place, a totally different world whose history and myths will be told. He has brought a whole new world to life, a whole new imaginative world to life.

You will find this place so beautiful that you would want to visit it. The author’s words are so strong that you will be able to see the land, the sea, the jungle vividly. And it is not just the place which is brought to life, you will get to know the characters in depth, their past, their fears, their insecurities, their ambition and their love.

I am head over heels over the place and desperately wants to visit Sunderbans. The beauty of this book is beyond words. Not only that, there were parts I could feel the fear and terror of the characters. I got excited with Piyali whenever she saw dolphins, I felt the love when Fokir sang the song in the shining moonlight. There was not a single page where I felt disinterested in this book.

Coming to the language of the book, I think a beginner might find it little difficult in between but will get to use to it eventually.  

Overall I think this book is exceptionally beautiful.

Recommendations: If you like to travel and love to get transported in a totally different and beautiful world then you can definitely give this book a read.

Ratings: 5/5

You can also read the review of another favourite of 2018, the book review of ‘The Pregnant King’ here.

Tangled Tourista

Tangled Tourista is an online diary, which is about travel, food and books. Here you will read about book reviews and suggestions, tested travelling tips and about new cafes and restaurants around and their reviews.